Flexible tube coupling



Oct. 22. 1940. 5, GUARNASCHELL] Re. 2 1,603

FLEXIBLE TUBE GOUPLING Original Filed March '7. 1936 EF!- 22 /8 11//9/3/;6 /0 /f lNVENT Jipen 'uafnascbe Reissued Oct. 22, 1940 UNITEDsTATEs Re. 21,603 r v e rmxmnn ma Comme Stephen Gim-umiem. Jacksonneizhu, N. Y..

' assignor to Packless Metal Products Comution, a corporation ofDelaware original No. 2.112,238, aaa Much 29, 1988. sz-

rial No. 67,623, March 7, 1936. Application for reissue March 16, 1940,Serial No. 324,389

2 emma. (cl. 'zas- 12) This invention relates to fiexible tubing andparticularly to seamless metallic, preferably spirally corrugated tubingand to fixtures or couplings for joining sections of'such tubing and forsecuring a flexible sheath thereto.

, The sale and use of fiexible metallic tubing has been limited by thefact that it has been practically impossible to join or splice tubing inthe field in case of a break. This has required the user to replace thewhole length broken or to employ an expert mechanic or service man to wmake and seal the joint.

This invention has for its salient object to provide means for securinga flexible sheath of metal or other suitable material to a metallic'tubing`of `vthe character specified, that is simple and practical inconstruction and canbe easily applied.

Another object of the invention is to provide a leak-proof coupling forjoining together pipe sections of the character specified withoutsoldering or brazing the joint.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple, practical andeffective means for forming a conical seat in the end of a corrugatedmetal tube.

f Another objctof the invention is to provide means constructed andarranged to s`imultaneously secure a sheath to a corrugated metal tube ean`d form a leak-proof solderless joint on the end of the tube.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the followingspecification taken in con'- nection with the drawing which forms 'apart of this application, and in-which Flg. 1 is a longitudinalsectional elevation through a coupling andhose, the coupling beingsecured to the hose and -being constructed in accordance with' theinvention.

Fig. 2 is an'elevational view illustrating the preliminary step prior tothe insertion of the end of vthe hose in the coupling; and g Fig. 3 isan elevational view o'f the split collar which is secured laround an endportion of the"hose to form an abutment or fix this portlon of the hoseas the outer end portion iscompress'ed.

The invention 'briefiy described consists of a split collar having itsinner surface threaded to receive the spiral corrugations on the outersurface of the' hose and having a conical outer surface adapted to coactwith the coupling member to cause the split collar. to grip the hose'and form a firm abutment as the end of the hose is compressed. Thecoupling comprises a pair of coupling members threaded to each other, fone member having a conical inner surface corresponding to the conicalouter surface of the collar and the other member having a conicalabutment or-projection'centrally disposed therein and adapted to enterthe -outer end of the hose and to form a conical seat thereln as theouter end is compressed when the coupling members are threaded onto eachother.

Further details of the invention will appear 10 from the followingdescription.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated` in the drawing there isshown a flexible metallic spiral hose III having a sheet Il surroundingthe outer surface thereof. 1

A split collar 12 having an internally threaded surface |3 is arrangedto be threaded on the outer end portion of the hose, the outer surfaceof the split collar being conical, as shown at lt.

. The internal diameter of the split collar is less 20 than the outsidediameter of the hose when the collar gap between the split ends isclosed. Therefore, the gap is open when the collar is threaded on orplaced around the hose. The conical inner surface lof the coactingcoupling 25 member, hereinafter described, causes the collar to becompressed and vgrip the hose.

The coupling in the form of the invention shown comprises a couplingmember IB having a threaded 'outer surface IG and a conicalinner 30surface l'l, corresponding in shape to the outer surface ll of the splitcollar |2. v

The coupling also comprises a coupling member IB having an internallythreaded surface vI! ,arranged for threaded engagement with |the 35threaded surface IB on the coupling member IB. The member |8 also'has aninwardly extending fiange 20 within which is disposed a'sleeve 2| havinga laterally extending flange 22 adapted to abut against the innersurface of thevfiange 20. 40 The member 2| also has' a centrallydisposed conical abutment or projection 23 having an outer diameter atthe end thereof slightly less than the internal diameter of the hose sothat the conical projection 23' will upon its initial 45 movement enterthe bore of the hose. The member 2| need not necessarily be providedwith a conical seat for the end of the hose, but may,

if desired,-have aseat of other configuration as, for intance; a fiatseat. Furthermore, the parts` 50 It; 20 and 2| may be integral, ifpreferred.

. The device above describedis used in the following manne'r: Thecoupling member I! is first slipped over the end of the hose and thethreaded split collar I! is then threaded on the outer end-K5 collar I!and the coupling member i! is also moved forward to clamp the sheathbetween the coupling member and the outer conical surface Il of thecollar. The threaded member ll is then threadedon the coupllng member ISand as these two coupling members are threaded to- 7 gether the conicalproiection 23 will enter the end of'the hose and the hose will becompressed into asubstantially solid mass between the collar |2 and theprojection 23 and inner surface of the fiange 22.V Ifthe member 2| has aflat seat the end of the hose will abut against the flat surface andwillbe compressed into a substantlally solid mass between the collar I!and said fiat surface. This relative vmovement of the coupling membersII and Il will cause the split collar ll'to be fur.- ther compressedaround the hose, thus forming a firm and secure abutment to hold thehose during the compression of the end thereof.

The construction above described will form a secure, tight, leak-proofjoint at the end of the hose and the seat or joint at the end is formedduring the operation of the coupling thereon. No further tools orapparatusis necessary. Furthermore. should it be desired to obtain aswiveiing action between the ends of the coupling, the coupling memberII may be loosened and the sleeve 2| can be rotated therein.

Although one specific embodiment of the invention has been particularlyshown and described, it will be understood that the invention isVcapable of modiflcation and that changes in the construction and in thearrangement of the various cooperating parts m'ay be made withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention, as expressedin'thefollowing claims.

What I claim is:

1.`In combination, a fiexible spiral metallic tube, a split collarhaving a spiralV inner surface adapted to engage and receive the spiralson the tube and having a tapered outer surface, the internal diameter ofthe split collar being less than the outside diameter of the hose whenthe split collar is closed, a coupling comprising a member having aconical seat having an outer diameter at the end thereof dimensioned toreceive and enter the bore of the tube and having a flange at the largeend of the conical seat adapted to form an abutment for the end of thetube. a second coupling member having a conical inner surface arrangedto wedgingly receive the conical outer surface of the split collar toprevent expansion of the collar and longitudinal movement of the 'hosein the collar, and means engaging said two coupling members to draw saidmembers toward each' other, thus eompressing the end portion of the tubeinto a compact mass and forming a conical seat at the end thereof.

2; In combination. a iiexible corrugated metallie tube, a split collarhaving a corrugated inner surface adapted to engage and receive thecorrugations on the tube and having a tapered outer surface, theinternal diameter-of the split collar being less than' the outsidediameter of the hose when the split collar is closed, a couplingcomprising a member having a seat at the end thereof adapted to receiveand to form an abutment for the end of the tube. a second couplingmember having a ccnical inner 'surface arranged to wedgingly receivetheconical outer surface of the split collar to prevent expansion of thecollar and longitudinal movement of the hose in the collar, and means todraw said coupling members toward each other, thus compressing the endportion of the tube into a compact mass between the seat and the collar.

x GUARNASCHEILL

